![Inter's Diego Milito celebrates after scoring a second goal against Bologna during their Italian Serie A soccer match at the Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna. Photo: Alessandro Garofalo, Reuters Inter's Diego Milito celebrates after scoring a second goal against Bologna during their Italian Serie A soccer match at the Dall'Ara stadium in Bologna. Photo: Alessandro Garofalo, Reuters]()
A solitary strike from Marek Hamsik returned Napoli to second spot in Serie A tonight, but the Partenopei made hard work of beating 10-man Chievo 1-0.
Upwardly-mobile Inter had edged into second spot earlier in the day, throwing down the gauntlet to Walter Mazzarri's Napoli, who were without injured star striker Edinson Cavani.
But the alternative strike duo of Lorenzo Insigne and Goran Pandev struggled to take up the Uruguayan's mantle, falling over each other to waste promising opportunities.
Slovakian playmaker Hamsik took matters into his own hands and fired the only goal of the game to keep the Campanians within three points of Juventus, before Chievo's Kamil Vacek saw red late on.
The Nerazzurri had earlier leapfrogged Napoli and into second place thanks to a 3-1 victory at Bologna.
Andrea Ranocchia gave the visitors the lead in the 27th minute before Diego Milito added a second just after the half-time break.
Nicolo Cherubin replied immediately, but Esteban Cambiasso scored his first goal of the season minutes later to seal Inter's fifth consecutive win, which keeps the Nerazzurri four points shy of the reigning champions.
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